Eating Less Salt May Not Stop Risk for Heart Disease

8 years ago

A European study is showing that people who eat large amounts of salt didn’t have a higher risk for heart disease and high blood pressure. This does not coincide with the low salt diet that is recommended. United States guidelines indicate that less than 2,300 milligrams of salt should be eaten daily. A lot less—1,500 milligrams—should be consumed by those with high risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. Lower blood pressure has been proven by past studies and trials, but general heart health has not.

The European study used data from two studies that had about 3,700 people’s salt intake measured at the beginning. Three groups were then created. Average salt consumption, low salt consumption, and high salt consumption. Many had normal blood pressure and none had heart disease. The studies went on for 8 years and published in the Journal of the American medical Association.

Of the three groups, chances for heart disease did not change. Those with low and high salt intake had a higher rate of death at follow up. During follow up, some participants than began the studies with normal blood pressure, had high blood pressure. About one in four. Only white Europeans were used for the study, so the results may be different for other races and ethnicities.

The outcome was that limiting salt consumption for people already with high blood pressure is a good plan. Little evidence was found that high intake of salt does not actually raise blood pressure or cause heart and vessel problems. It is said that consumers shouldn’t change hoe much salt they eat based on limited studies that have tried to find the link between sodium intake and heart disease risks.